Sunaura Taylor is an artist, writer, activist, academic and mother. Sunaura is the Assistant Professor in the Division of Society and Environment and the director of the Disabled Ecologies Lab at the University of California, Berkely. A skilled artist, her artworks have been exhibited at venues such as the CUE Art Foundation, a contemporary art space in New York City, the Smithsonian Institution, the world's largest museum, education, and research complex and they are a part of the Berkeley Art Museum collection. Sunaura is also the author of Beasts of Burden: Animal and Disability Liberation, which received the American Book Award. Her current book is, Disabled Ecologies: Lessons from a Wounded Desert and whilst it’s not a memoir, it is personal and political. She documents how residents organized one of the earliest and most successful environmental justice movements in the USA. Sunaura is a game changer, a global thinker, she brings together what environmental and disability movements can learn from one another. Her books reveal how disability and ableism shape our understanding of nature and environmental crisis. She uncovers networks of disability, both human and wild, that are created when ecosystems are corrupted and profoundly altered. Sunaura raises an important question we should all be asking in the name of shared justice, “What happened to us?” Not, what happened to you? This is someone with an incredible eye for detail, for whom painting is a love of seeing and whose political statements are also drawn from sharp observation, analysis and lived experience. Sunaura also has a critical understanding of curiosity cultivated in her alternative childhood education of being 'unschooled.'

Sunaura Taylor

Aquifer Losing Reach, Speculative Aquifers Series

Pen and Watercolor on Paper, apx 11 x 8’’, 2017-2020

Sunaura Taylor

Animals With Arthrogryposis

Oil on Canvas, 6’ x 9’ (72“ x 108”), 2009

Author Photo © Julius Schlosberg

Discover Sunaura Taylor: www.sunaurataylor.net/

Series Audio Editor - Joey Quan.

Series Music - Courtesy of Barry J. Gibb

Closed Captions are added to all audio interviews in this series.

Read only, text transcripts of every interview, news, reviews and your host, Paula Moore, are available here: www.canartsaveus.com

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. PLEASE SHARE THIS FREE TO LISTEN SERIES AND HELP MAKE THE ARTS ALL OF OURS.

Tonye Ekine is one of the top 40 British Rising Stars recognized by the Royal Society of British Artists. He is also recently back from the world renowned, Venice Biennale, where he was selected for a highly prestigious fellowship with the British Council. In its 60th anniversary year, the Venice Biennale attracted half a million visitors to celebrate ground breaking artists from around the world. Tonye has set himself apart from other contemporary African artists with his distinct use of the iconic, Ife Bronze masks in his paintings. Ife is the religious and royal center of the Yoruba people in Nigeria and the masks are exceptional works of art, dating back to the 12th century. Born in Nigeria, Tonye is now based in London and by foregrounding his Yoruba heritage in his contemporary art, he raises questions of identity, the legacy of colonialism, the social masks we wear in everyday life and he isn’t shy of uncomfortable paradox. Tonye’s role as an artist is set to move through the world in different ways taking his identity and roots with him. He says: “There is freedom in expression – and that’s where you find identity.” He’s interested in being part of design, fashion, marketing, brands in communication and education, his openness is refreshing. He prioritises knowledge as currency not economic status. We talk about identity and authenticity, connection as the most important form of validation and optimism.

Discover Tonye Ekine: www.wherestonye.com/

The Art of PR is the first exhibition to collectively present the work of established and emerging artists from the UK public relations sector, including Tonye Ekine.

Visit the Coningsby Gallery: info@coningsbygallery.com / 07884 314361

18 November 2024–23 November 2024

www.coningsbygallery.com/exhibition/the-art-of-pr-november-2024

Series Audio Editor - Joey Quan.

Series Music - Courtesy of Barry J. Gibb

Closed Captions are added to all audio interviews in this series.

Read only, text transcripts of every interview, news, reviews and your host, Paula Moore, are available here: www.canartsaveus.com

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. PLEASE SHARE THIS FREE TO LISTEN SERIES AND HELP MAKE THE ARTS ALL OF OURS.

What's it like to be the least likely artists to have two hit, number one albums on Decca Records, one of the world's most iconic labels? Decca Classics, discovered and pursued singing nuns, the Poor Clares of Arundel in West Sussex, to record with them. The debut album, 'Light for the World,' sold out of cds within 24 hours, had 60 million streams, topped the Amazon and Apple music charts internationally and topped the UK specialist chart for 19 weeks. The second album, 'My Peace I Give You,' is out now, led by popular demand. Sister Gabriel shares their experience; doubts, resistance, concerns, negotiating terms and how this all became a beautiful experience with world wide impact.

The Poor Clares have recorded an infusion of Latin hymns and medieval texts which have had a powerful, healing impact across the world, touching the lives of people, whether they are religious or not. A common response has been, “I don't believe in God, but there is something about your music that takes me somewhere that I had never experienced before.” From the debut album, they were inundated with letters of thanks, often speaking of healing and calm, religious or not.

The Poor Clares live a contemplative, cloistered life and rarely go out but the convent and their guest house are regularly populated with visitors from all walks of life. Their multiple responsibilities revolve around a disciplined structure of praying, seven times a day and staying in touch with World News. We dispel myths of a contemplative life being simply passive. We talk about courage, personal choices, recording albums, being of service but not self-serving and balancing novelty with health curiosity. “The scariest thing to do is to submit yourself to something other than oneself.” Sister Gabriel.

Before choosing a consecrated life, Sister Gabriel, had completed a degree in auto and mechanical engineering and worked in Czechoslovakia for a year helping to improve British safety standards in machinery. Art had been a significant part of her family life in the North East, including her admiration for Tisch, a significant social documentary photographer from Newcastle, and the Pittman painters northern miners that painted a unique historical record of their lives and mined literally through class barriers to do so.

As the sisters say themselves, "You don't have to be religious to enjoy their music." Published on September 21st, 2024, International Day of Peace, the episode includes the title track, "My Peace I Give You." The music is courtesy of Decca Classics.

Photos © Chris O'Donovan

Discover The Poor Clares: www.poorclaresarundel.org

Discover Decca Classics: www.deccaclassics.com/en

Series Audio Editor - Joey Quan.

Series Music - Courtesy of Barry J. Gibb

Closed Captions are added to all audio interviews in this series.

Read only, text transcripts of every interview, news, reviews and your host, Paula Moore, are available here: www.canartsaveus.com

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. THIS IS A FREE TO LISTEN SERIES.

PLEASE SHARE, AND HELP MAKE THE ARTS ALL OF OURS.

A first for the series, a mother and daughter, discussing parallels between their work. They have both successfully bypassed conventional and formal routes into painting and publishing winning awards and five star reviews. Following her teaching career, Yeside Linney, is a mostly self-taught artist who has quickly accrued multiple awards, including two national awards in The Women in Art Prize. Yeside was born in Nigeria but sent to Britain to be educated at a very young age, where she has lived since the age of 4. Her paintings, be it landscapes or portraits are free of convention and layered with textures, history, emotion and courage. She found she could only paint her autobiography and investigated her Nigerian heritage, particularly the cultural riches of the Yoruba tribe. She, herself is often painted too and her portrait by artist, Peter James Field, has also recently been hung in the National Portrait Gallery.

Her daughter Claire Linney, author of children’s books, brings to life historical people of black and mixed heritage. Claire is writing black history back into Britain’s historical narrative that has been mostly excluded from the school curriculum. Our new Labour government is now conducting a review of the national curriculum with important questions about equality, diversity and inclusion still to be answered. Claire’s first book, The Time Tub Travellers and the Silk Thief, has 5 star reviews from both the buyers and young readers. It’s a fast paced adventure that returns to Tudor England and best friends Zula and Milo, encounter Reasonable Blackman, a significant, historical figure. He was one of the earliest people of African heritage working as an independent business owner in London at that time, a black silk weaver with rare and sought after skills enjoyed only by aristocracy. It’s an adventure in healthy curiosity, openness, exploration and learning.

We talk about historical representation and the impact on identity today, the dominant beauty narrative versus diverse, cultural expressions. We look at how history is what is and isn't painted on a canvas, or is and isn't written on a page. This is a celebration of healthy curiosity and courage from a mother that is "insatiably curious" and a daughter who is "constantly curious." It's an inspirational journey of their courage, bypassing gatekeepers, rules and barriers, to paint and publish with their own permission.

Images from the Scarification series © Yeside Linney

Images of the Time Tub Travellers, book cover illustration by Onyinye Iwu,

with kind permission of Claire Linney.

Discover Yeside Linney: www.yeside.com

Discover Claire Linney: www.clairelinney.com/

Series Audio Editor - Joey Quan.

Series Music - Courtesy of Barry J. Gibb

Closed Captions are added to all audio interviews in this series.

Read only, text transcripts of every interview, news, reviews and your host, Paula Moore, are available here: www.canartsaveus.com

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. THIS IS A FREE TO LISTEN SERIES.

PLEASE SHARE AND HELP MAKE THE ARTS ALL OF OURS.

This episode is about "Joyful madness" and a brilliant collaboration between Science and the Arts. Dr. Weliton Menário Costa, also known as Weli both as a scientist and as a recording artist, is the global winner of the "Dance Your PhD" competition. Complex academic research is communicated through dance to reach new audiences. It’s a tough but inspired challenge and a joy to see science celebrated through the Arts. The visibility of this relationship is especially important when a divisive political approach between the Arts and Sciences has dominated here in the UK; but it’s not a natural division. What is and isn’t natural is also a critical finding in Weli’s scientific work. His three year study of wild kangaroos has evidenced the natural diversity of kangaroo personalities and without conflict. He was able to conclude, “Kangaroos are different, just like us. Differences happen in all species, it’s just natural.” And this is what you see in Weli’s video, a group dance that includes a Drag Queen with Brazilian funk, classical Indian and ballet dancers all performing to his own song, Kangaroo Time.

We draw on parallels between his scientific study of wild kangaroos and human behaviour. Weli shares powerful, personal stories of his own challenges with identity and mental health. As a young gay man growing up in a conservative rural area of Brazil, being different alerted him to how the social environment can also shape our behaviour. He talks about his personal fears and anxieties and how his life changed dramatically in Australia where he now lives. We talk about his meditation practice and the importance of acceptance and letting go whilst understanding these aren't passive states. His practice has been core to his cultivation of courage and to developing responsiveness rather than reactiveness. There are clear acts of courageousness in Weli's journey, including his decision to become a full time recording artist and his current EP, "Yours Academically," chronicles that transition. Watch the video, dance along and find your inner roo!

Photographs courtesy of Nic Vevers, The Australian National University.

Series Audio Editor - Joey Quan.

Series Music - Courtesy of Barry J. Gibb

Closed Captions are added to all interviews in this series. Read only, text versions of every interview, news, reviews and your host are here: www.canartsaveus.com

Kangaroo Time Club Mix, video - www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoSYO3fApEc

Discover @WeliMusic on Instagram, check his bio for links, including Spotify or head to Youtube:

www.youtube.com/channel/UCBpUI9oMUYmIl0wcTsD1Lkw

What happens when the judicial system we're taught to trust is in fact part of a complex web of systemic failure and structural discrimination on vast scales? My guests today have raised one of the most important spotlights on systemic failure in Australia's prison system. Indigenous Australians are one of the most incarcerated people in the world. Alex Siddons is the director of the groundbreaking feature documentary, The Art of Incarceration, which is currently available on Netflix. He won unprecedented access to film at the Indigenous Unit of Victoria's Fulham Correctional Center. Christopher Austin is a lead participant in the documentary and he was incarcerated from the age of 11. And by the time he was 46, the longest time he had spent in society at any one time was nine months. There's nothing sketchy about this documentary and crime isn't excused. But the repeat cycle of crime and over representation of Indigenous Australians is explored in order to find solutions. Through the personal stories of in-mates the documentary explores the relevance and legacy of colonial history of Stolen Generations, displacement and disadvantage that feed into the prison system today. Alex spotlights how hope and positive change is literally painted through the Torch art program. The program connects indigenous inmates to their culture and strengthens cultural identity through the practice of art. It recognizes that people who are disenfranchised from their dominant culture become too disconnected to rehabilitate successfully. Christopher Austin and Alex Siddons take part in this episode. Christopher shares his personal experience of being displaced and incarcerated from the age of 11. He is a unique survivor of the prison system and today both an artist and pioneer for change. He is now The Torch’s, Indigenous Program Mentor, in itself a huge landmark for change in which he leads. Alex Siddons, is a dedicated filmmaker and his documentary not only raised a vital spotlight on this human rights issue but a brotherhood too. The consent and collaboration of prisoners is further testimony to the Torch Arts Programme, successfully cultivating connection, cultural respect, real change and a future outside of the traps both in and outside of prison.

Series Audio Editor - Joey Quan.

Series Music - Courtesy of Barry J. Gibb

Closed Captions are added to all interviews in this series. Read only, text versions of every interview, news, reviews and your host are here: www.canartsaveus.com

Discover The Art of Incarceration on Netflix and the Director Alex Siddons: www.alexsiddons.com

Support and Discover The Torch Art Programme: www.thetorch.org.au

Buy art by First Nations people, vouchers and gifts: www.thetorch.org.au/shop-2/

Julie Hesmondhalgh is one of Britain’s most loved actresses, she plays roles for stage and screen that tackle important issues and reach out to the hearts and minds of audiences everywhere. Her roles in drama have included sexual violence, the calamity of hate crimes, the representation of transgender people, exploring the right to die and more recently, exposing one of the most widespread miscarriages of justice in British history, The Post Office Scandal. This hit ITV series, Mr. Bates versus the Post Office, has had an unprecedented reaction forcing new political urgency to resolve this scandal. In theatre her work has responded to war, austerity, cancer, mental health, refugees and currently, her personal and emotionally courageous, one woman show, These We Love, a hymn to her working-class childhood. Julie’s work as an artist is part and parcel of her activism for positive change, a fairer society and equality, including access to the Arts. Whilst her famous and ground breaking television role as Hayley Cropper, a transgender woman in Coronation Street, often dominates her career, her work is bigger than this very famous soap opera. Julie is also full of fun and she understands the importance of daftness. She thinks deeply about hope and what it means in how we navigate our lives. We talk about finding her dad's diaries, the huge investment in Arts for the privately educated but devastating cuts in state education and what that means in a democracy. We discuss the Arts in relation to mental health, being able to connect, not feel alone and to combat fear with joy. Julie discusses why hope and optimism are essential in personal and political struggle and how the Arts encourages us all to thrive.

Photos courtesy of Julie Hesmondhalgh

Series Audio Editor - Joey Quan.

Series Music - Courtesy of Barry J. Gibb

Closed Captions are added to all interviews in this series. Read only, text versions of every interview, news, reviews and your host are here: www.canartsaveus.com

Discover:

Julie Hesmondhalgh www.loucoulson.co.uk/talent/julie-hesmondhalgh

Arts Emergency www.arts-emergency.org

Take Back Theatre www.takebacktheatre

Dennis Clausen, is a professor of American Literature and Screenwriting at the University of San Diego in the USA. He’s a highly respected, award-winning author of many works of fiction that reflect his lived experience and special interest in American small towns. He’s also written, Storytelling as Art and Craftsmanship, offering practical strategies for Screenwriters and Creative Writers. The emphasis on storytelling as art and craft is critical which is reflected in his regular contributions to Psychology Today. He discusses the threat of Artificial Intelligence and technology to our own thinking skills, neurological development, mental fitness, our imagination, having an authentic voice and questioning, who’s soul will be in literature? We talk about the relationship in his current trilogy between social injustice, economic inequality, homelessness and how Art is critical to finding truth, purpose and human existence. Dennis shares powerful personal stories including how his father, Lloyd Clausen, was adopted to be a farm labourer, not a son, who was extremely deprived. In the 1920s, the Great Depression and droughts also made for his crushing existence. Dennis unravelled his father's life story before he sadly died from cancer and he consequently published, "Prairie Son." All of his work is a great act of humanity and an important reminder why the humanities must have freedom to survive, to respond to authoritarianism and exercise the health of our own minds.

Series Audio Editor - Joey Quan.

Series Music - Courtesy of Barry J. Gibb

Closed Captions are added to all interviews in this series. Read only, text versions of every interview, news, reviews and your host are here: www.canartsaveus.com

Discover Professor Dennis Clausen: www.dennisclausen.com

Professor Dennis Clausen, contributor to Psychology Today magazine: www.psychologytoday.com/us/contributors/dennis-m-clausen-phd